Soften Butter

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What is the best way to soften butter for baking without actually melting it?

Brambling

I leave it out of the fridge if you can and cut it into small pieces so it will soften quicker.  You can also sit it (in something) on the radiator.  If you do it in stages you can put it in the microwave using 10 second or so bursts so it softens but not melt

PollyWollyDoodle

Cut into pieces and put in a bowl of water - just water out of the cold tap, and leave for 15-20 minutes. It will soften and you can just pour the water away. I got this from a Mary Berry programme. 

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Thanks
I normally leave it out overnight but I forgot yesterday when baking a sultana cake and was left trying to cream hard butter with the sugar and it took forever

Farway

Brambling said:

I leave it out of the fridge if you can and cut it into small pieces so it will soften quicker.  You can also sit it (in something) on the radiator.  If you do it in stages you can put it in the microwave using 10 second or so bursts so it softens but not melt

That's the way I do it, small pieces, microwave in short bursts but keep an eye on it

JIL

Grate it, mixes and softens beautifully after that.

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JIL said:

Grate it, mixes and softens beautifully after that.

I would not have thought of that in a hundred years 

JIL

duncanthedog said:

JIL said:

Grate it, mixes and softens beautifully after that.

I would not have thought of that in a hundred years 

I think I learned it from Gordon Ramsey.  It works really well in pastry and can even be used straight from the freezer. 

Happy baking 

3secondmemory

JIL said:

duncanthedog said:

JIL said:

Grate it, mixes and softens beautifully after that.

I would not have thought of that in a hundred years 

I think I learned it from Gordon Ramsey.  It works really well in pastry and can even be used straight from the freezer. 

Happy baking 

I grate frozen butter and lard for shortcrust pastry because it cuts down on the rubbing in – I learnt it from Mary Berry 😃

goldfinches

And I learned it from Delia Smith so evidently a well known trick of the trade. I find it very good for dumplings because it means the butter doesn't warm up too much when being rubbed into the flour; plus you can whip the butter straight out of the freezer so it's good for afterthought additions to stews IYSWIM.

Rosa_Damascena

And I think I saw it on Bake Off